Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-08-11
Vhy. tes-he was down here awhile

Mir. Jones looked sadly disappointed
at Polly's answer, while Tad, Winking
at himself, chuckled silently. What
Mr.. Jones might have said is uncer-
tain, for just then third party hove in
sight-to use nautical phrase-who,
Tad felt by a sort of instinct. must be
Captain Jethro Flagg. He was a trc-
mendously stout man, with iron-gray
hair and rim of white whiskers which
made a sort Of halo about his fat,
weather-beaten face. The blue shirt.
hat and heavy sea-boots which he wore
left no doubt as to the nature of his
calling.
"Now, then, Ephrm M said Captain
Flagg, in voice like trumpet with a
bad cold, as, turning about, he adj
dressed a long-legged youth who
brought up the rear with a heavy
basket, ''heave ahead lively with them
stores, my hearty. or you won't fetch
the schooner till dinner-time." Thus
admonished, Ephraim muttered some
thing inaudible, and, reaching the edge
of the wharf in breathless condition,
set the basket down with bang,
while the Captain greeted Miss Polly
with jovial wink.
Haven't got to put back for nothing
this time, Polly" he triumphantly an
nounced, unmindful of the presence of
Mr.. Jones, whose distracted gaze was
seemingly directed at the little pennant
which floated from the schooner's top
mast head. 1.-The stores is all in the
basket, the new jib is coming down this
afternoon, and I've got my freight
money along of my clearance papers
all right in here holding up fiat.
japanned tin case as he spoke For, be-
ing very absent-minded, though con-
stantly eliminating in his great respon-
sibility as master of the coasting
schooner MARY j." Captain Jethro
Flagg usually forgot some part of his
uptown errands, and was invariably
sent back therefor by practical Polly,
as a sort of atonement for his sins of
omission.
Polly nodded approvingly at her
fathers assertion, while Tad, as an I'M
observed but interested on-looker, no
ticed that, at the mention of freight
money, Mr.. Jones' eye fell from the
topmast head to the japanned tin case
in Captain Flagg's hand, and briefly
rested thereon. Suddenly producing a
notebook from his pocket he began
writing on blank leaf, occasionally
CHANGING thoughtfully at the ''Mary j."
as though noting down brief descrip-
ton of her build and rig, to the evident
uneasiness of Captain Flagg, who re-
garded Mr.. Jones and his little book
with ill-concealed suspicion.
BEG pardon, Captain" said the lat
ter, looking up with easy familiarity.
as Ephraim and George Washington
succeeded by their united efforts in get
ting the stores safely on board, "but
I'm Globe reporter. Any thing ex-
tr'ord'n nary or unusual last voyage
that would make us an item, eh?"
He held his head little one side as
he spoke, and tapped his teeth with the
end of his pencil in such business-like
manner that the Captains face cleared
at once.
Extraordinarily thoughtfully re-
peated Captain Flagg. leaning up
against a cotton bale, and inviting his
companion by nod to do the same,
"well, femme overhaul the log a bit.
an see. Polly" elevating his voice
for the benefit of his daughter, who was
regarding the representative Of the
press with admiring awe, "what night
was it we lost.Sam overheard, whilst we
was hove to off Thatcher's Islan'?"
"a week ago last Thursday"
promptly returned Polly, with shade
of sadness in her tone.
''Ah, indeed!' returned Mr.. Jones'
interestedly, as he jotted something
down in the notebook, and continued
to write as he talked. Heavy gale, L
presume, and man fell from aloft, reef
ing thea main t'gallant sails?''
Regarding the speaker for brief mo-
ment in plying silence, Captain Flagg
proceeded to enlighten his ignorance.
''Only square Triggers carries t'gal-
rns'ls," he explained, ''and the Mary
j. bein' a fore-an-after, has no need
O. sech. SAM" solemnly continued
the Captain, laying his stumpy fore
finger on Mr.. Jones' arm. to command
his undivided attention, Sam was
black pig-the cunnin'est, KNOWN est
why, what's that?" he exclaimed,
suddenly breaking off in his eulogium
on his lost porker, rs the sound of
suppressed giggle was heard to pro-
coed from directly overhead. Turning
mis- eyes upward as he thus spoke, and
a glimpse of Tad's mirthful
lace peering over the top of the cotton
bales, Captain Flagg's fingers insensi-
ply relaxed their hold upon the
apanned tin case containing his papers
'ad money.
This was the moment for which Mr..
Jones had been watching! Whipping